10 Spicy Beers That Are Actually Worth Drinking

There’s little doubt that I’m a sucker for spicy drinks—I usually chase my weekend coffee with at least one Bloody Mary, and in the summer months, I concoct vats of michelada mix (often with Cholula hot sauce, sometimes with Valentina) to blend with ice-cold bottles of cheap international-style lager.

But truth be told, I’ve never been a fan of beer made with actual chile peppers. They always struck me as hokey, gimmicky, and too closely aligned with the machismo ethos that I associate with extreme hot sauce enthusiasts.

That changed recently when I noticed an influx of new chile-centric brews hitting the market, ones made by breweries that I recognized and, more importantly, breweries that I respected. One of the first that I tried was Founder’s Mango Magnifico, a high-gravity fruit beer imbued with a kick of fresh habanero chiles. It was fruity and fiery and (in a very small quantity) nearly perfect. After that, it wasn’t long before I found myself ordering a pint of Green Flash’s Double Stout spiked with roasted Serrano peppers.

Within this new wave of chile beer, some breweries are devising recipes that elevate the pepper from supporting role to integral component, while others are simply taking an existing brew and infusing it with dried or fresh chiles (a technique akin to dry-hopping, which lets the beer retain its original character while supplying a persistent, fiery kick on the back end).

Regardless of what role it assumes, the chile usually imbues a spiciness so perverse that it’s difficult to drink more than one glass—but that doesn’t mean that one glass can’t be delicious. Here are 10 spicy beers that are actually worth drinking.

New Belgium Lips of Faith Cocoa Mole

From: Fort Collins, CO
ABV: 9%
Type of chile: Ancho, guajillo, and chipotle
New Belgium’s Cocoa Mole replicates the complex flavors of Mexican mole sauce—chocolate, cinnamon, and about a hundred other ingredients—in a hazy, spiced-up brown ale. The brewers used three types of dried chiles (ancho, guajillo, and chipotle) for a smoky but restrained heat. A high ABV and a huge coffee-and-caramel nose make it a perfect pairing for desserts, like chocolate cake or thick bread pudding.

Dogfish Head Theobroma

From: Milton, DE
ABV: 9%
Type of chile: Various
Using chiles in fermented beverages is nothing new—in fact, it’s been done for millennia. Dogfish Head’s recipe for Theobroma—part of its Ancient Ale series—is based on chemical analysis of ancient pottery fragments found in Honduras, which revealed that a cocoa-based drink, spiked with honey, annatto seeds, and, yes, chiles, was consumed by humans as early as 1200 B.C. It’s doubtful, though, that the primitive potion clocked in at 9% alcohol…

Ballast Point Habanero Sculpin

From: San Diego, CA
ABV: 7%
Type of chile: Habanero (fresh)
Hops and habaneros? That’s right. Ballast Point took its beloved Sculpin, one of the truest examples of the West Coast-style IPA, and laced it with bundles of fresh chiles. The result? A throat-scorching, Day-Glo orange concoction with citrusy aromas from the habanero and tropical fruit notes from the hops. The character of the original IPA holds up, but the heat tends to intensify over time, which means that the longer you sip, the spicier it gets.

Evil Twin Spicy Nachos

From: Copenhagen/Brooklyn (brewed at Westbrook Brewing Co. in South Carolina)
ABV: 5.5%
Type of chile: Jalapeno (fresh)
Evil Twin honcho Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergso is seemingly obsessed with all things American. Many of his beers reference our culture—Williamsburg Hipster Ale, Justin Blabaer blueberry Berliner Weisse, Naked Launch imperial stout—and last year he even relocated his family to the States to open a bar in Brooklyn. So it’s not surprising that he took one of our most beloved national dishes—the humble, peerless nacho—as a starting point for one of his newest creations. Spicy Nachos, a fruity golden pale ale, is brewed with corn and fresh jalapenos, and has a clean, mild finish. The jalapeno aroma is upfront and in your face, but the spiciness is subdued (if not subtle). Keep an eye out for limited batches of Spicy Nachos aged in—what else?—tequila barrels.

Burnside Brewing Co. Sweet Heat

From: Portland, OR
ABV: 4.9%
Type of chile: Scotch bonnet (fresh)
The fruity heat of Scotch Bonnet asserts itself boldly in this wheat ale, while apricot purée deployed during the brewing process helps cut the spiciness with a hint of tart sweetness. The balance is phenomenal, delivering just enough heat to keep you coming back for more—this may be one of the few chile-laced beers that truly achieves the addictive quality of good spicy food. The sweet-spicy combo is reminiscent of a Caribbean chutney, so try pairing it with some jerk chicken.

Cigar City Smokabaga Red Ale

From: Tampa, FL
ABV: 7.4%
Type of chile: Chipotle
Rather than formulate a brand-new chile beer, Tampa’s Cigar City took barrels of its hoppy Tocobaga Red Ale and treated them with dried chipotles. The move pushes the host beer into a supporting role, acting as an unrestrictive vehicle for the chipotles’ spice and smoke. The hops’ bitterness moves to the background, while a fiery burn lingers in back of the throat.

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout with Ancho

From: Chicago, IL
ABV: 13%
Type of chile: Ancho
Each year, Goose Island releases several versions of its renowned Bourbon County Stout, some infused with brewed coffee, others aged on whole Tahitian vanilla beans. This one is laced with dried poblano peppers—also called anchos—which impart a discreet smokiness to the brutally black, ultra-high-ABV stout.

Westbrook Brewing Co. Mexican Cake

From: Mt. Pleasant, SC
ABV: 10.5%
Type of chile: Habanero (fresh)
South Carolina’s Westbrook Brewing made this inky, habanero-infused stout to mark its first anniversary. In the glass, it’s dark as night and looks like a shot of espresso, with a thin, rust-colored head and dark-as-night color. On the nose, it’s all fresh habaneros with hits of vanilla, cinnamon, and licorice. As the name suggests, it goes well with fudgy cake.

Ska Brewing Autumnal Mole Stout

From: Durango, CO
ABV: 5.5%
Type of chile: Mulato, ancho, and hatch
¡Viva los Chiles! Ska uses three types of peppers—mulato, ancho, and roasted New Mexican hatch—to infuse this murky, Mexican-themed stout. Notes of crushed oregano and dried mint abound, while the low ABV makes for some easy drinking. Of course, there’s a chocolaty component, and on the finish, a lingering bite of something sweet and spicy.

Mikkeller Texas Ranger Porter

From: Copenhagen, Denmark (Brewed at De Proef)
ABV: 6.66%
Type of chile: Chipotle
Danish gypsy brewer Mikkeller takes on the sweltering state of Texas in this devilish 6.66% chipotle porter. The frothy amber head wafts an aroma of burnt sugar and toast, while the palate is all smoky peppers and fire. Giddy up, cowboy!

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